Mining-machine



BALL.

MINING MACHINE;

APPLICATION-FILEDJULYZB,1909. RENEWED NOV. 26, I919,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

lmvenwr: fllbert M5,

Witfleases Z W /Q-NM A. BALL.

MINING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED .IULYZB. 1909. RENEWED NOV. 26. 1.919.

1 ,352, l 69. Patented Sept- 7, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

llhtnes3es: lnventewz I fliberi Bail.

stares rarest ALBERT BALL, 0F CLAREMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURING COIVIPANY, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO, A

CORPORATION OF OHIO.

MINING-MACHINE.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1920.

pplication filed July 26, 1909, Serial No. 509,579. Renewed November 26, 1919. Serial No. 340,799.

the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representa ing like parts.

This invention relates to mining machines, belng more particularly intended to provide improved means for feeding and guiding a min ng machine while it is performing the cutting operation.

This invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows in plan, partly broken away, a mining machine embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows the same. mining machine in side elevation partially in section;

Fig. 3 is a central, sectional plan showing the speed reduction gearing for the winding drum of the leading ,cable on the same machine;

Fig. 4 is a detail in end elevation of one of the cable guiding or directing sheaves;

Fig. 5 is a front end elevation, partly in section showing the speed reduction gearing of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are diagrams showing the mining machine of Fig. 1 as arranged for executing the main cut, the loading movement and the starting cut, respectively; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan showing the speed reduction gearing for the trailing cable.

Referring to the drawings, I have there disclosed for the sake of illustrating one concrete form of my invention, a mining machine of the well-known cutter chain type provided with the cutter bar 1 projecting therefrom and adapted to under-cut the wall of the mine with a horizontal kerf asthe machine is moved transversely of the direction of its length or in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. l.

The cutter bar, as usual, carries a suitable cutter chain 2 provided with the usual cutters 3 and is driven from a driving sprocket wheel 4 (Fig. 2). The latter is mounted to be driven by means of the large beveled gear -5, which meshes with the beveled pinion 6,

the latter secured to the armature shaft 7 of the electric driving motor, the frame of which is shown at 8.

While any suitable construction. may be employed for traversing the machine while cutting, in the resent instance supporting means are prov ded upon and with which the machine is adapted to move along the mine, and preferably, as in the machine of the prior patent to Mitchell No. 656,414, such.., means is provided in the form of a bottom member or shoe 9 upon which the machine is adapted to slide, and, if desired, directly upon the bottom or floor of the mine.

In order to hold the cutter chain and cutter bar in the desired relation against the work as the machine is fed along, guiding means are provided, the same consisting of one or more ropes, cables or other flexible guiding members kept under tension and so associated with the machine that the cut ter bar, as it travels, is held up to the work without the necessary use of rails or other like guiding supports.

In the illustrated form of my invention I provide for this purpose flexible guiding means, herein in the form of a wire rope or cable presenting two portions or lengths 10 and 11, each connected to a fixed support, one on the advancing side of the machine and the other on the receding side thereof,

. 12, the latter mounted near the forward or utting end of the machine so that, in making the main or lateral cut, the cable leads directly'off from the under side of the drum on the frame of the machine.

to its relatively remote fixed support. In Fig. 1 the cable 10 is arranged for the starting cut, under which conditions the free end is fastened at a point near the forward end of the cutter bar and close to the face of the coal, as shown in Fig. 8. To properly direct the cable for making this cut, the latter first passes from the drum laterally to the forward directing sheave 13, thence to the rearwardly directin sheave 14 and thence forwardly to the xed support at the face of the coal.. In order that the guiding devices 13 and 14, which are used during the starting out, may be out of the way at other times, the latter are preferably arranged so that they may be removed or shifted to some such position as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. To this end each sheave is journaled upon a stud carried by the overhanging arm 15, the latter being hinged between upright lugs 16 When the sheaves 13 and 14 are not employed their supporting arms may be turned out of the way, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

In making the main cut the cable 10'leads directly from the drum 12 to any suitable fastenin such, for example, as the anchor 17 (see ig. 6) of the construction "shown in the aforesaid Mitchell patent. Referring to the rear or trailing cable 11, the latter is connected to a second ropewinding drum 18 mounted at the rear of the machine and suitably connected to the drum 12 so that the cable 11 during the main cutting operation of the machine is slowly unwound on the-receding side of the machine and near the outer end thereof as the cable 10 is wound upon itsdrum 12.

The receding or trailing cable 11 is provided with means to take in or let out the same. Such cable-adjusting means might be provided upon the machinery itself but, herein, the free end of the cable is secured to an adjustable take-up jack 19 conventionally indicated in Fig. 6 and having a construction which may be similar to that of tl e take-up jack shown in Figs. 16 and 17 o the aforesaid Mitchell patent.

It will be seen that the cable portion 10 when placed under tension is so connected to the machine as to exert its draft upon the same adjacent the wall end of the machine, while the draft of the cable portion 11 is nearer the .opposite end of the machine.-

With the two cable portions, therefore,

, placed under tension with the cutter chain in position against the work, they serve to hold the cutter chain against the work as the machine travels along and in a position which can be regulated by taking in or letting out the trailing cable 11 by the adjustable take-up 19 to swing the machine more or less about its connection to the advancing Vhile the two cables 10 and 11 might be employed solely to guide the machine and hold it in the desired relation to the work, other and independent means being em ployed positively to feed the machine, herein preferably I employ power driven means to draw in one of the guide members while paying out the other, thereby to feed the machine at the same time it is guided. To this end, both winding drums 12 and 18 are connected to be driven in unison from the motor 8 so as to draw in one cable while nism at the rear of the motor.

To turn the drum driving shaft '22, the latter is provided with any suitable form of speed change clutching device, a well-known form of which is herein shown in Fig. 2 as applied to the shaft. Herein this consists of the grooved clutch member 23 fixedly securedto the shaft to rotate therewith, but slidable thereon, carrying gripping members 24 and 25 connected to the said clutch memher by the togglelinks 26 and 27 ,respectively, so that, when moved in one direction or the other, the clutch member may be gripped either to the clutch casing 28 or 29 according to the direction in which the said clutch member is moved. The clutch member may be moved at will in either direction by means of the clutch lever 30 leading to the upright shaft 31 carrying at its end an eccentric or cam 32 seated in the clutch member 23. l

The clutch casing 28 is fixedly secured to the hollow motor shaft 7 so as to be constantly driven thereby so that, when engaged therewith, the clutch member and the drum driving shaft are driven at a high rate of speed directly from the motor. On the other hand, the clutch casing 29 is connected to the beveled gear 33 which meshes with the beveled pinion 34, the latter secured to the upright driving shaft 35 constantly driven by the large beveled gear 5. When the clutch member 23, therefore, is engaged I with the clutch casing 29', the drum driving drum driving shaft has keyed thereto the that the arm 38 has a resultant slow turning movement which is communicated to the small pinion 41 fixed or attached to the arm a 29 and turning co-axially therewith.

A second reduction is secured by providing the second intermediate gear 42 meshing with the pinion 41 and also with the internal gear 40, the gear 42 being carried by the arm 43 and also turning about the shaft 22. Movement is communicated to the drum from the arm 43 by means of the small pinion 44 fixed or attached to the arm 43, which pinion meshes withthe intermediate gear 45 turning upon a fixed journal on the head 21 and meshing with the internal gear on the drum. By means of this speed reduction gearing the high speed driving movement of the motor in one direction is transformed into a slow drum turning movement in the same direction.

In order that the drum 18 for the receding cable 11 may be turned at the same rate of speed as the drum 12 during the main cut-' ting operation, the drumshaft 22 extends rearwardly beyond the beveled gear 33. The drum 18 (Fig. 9), like the drum 12, is mounted to turn upon bearings presented by the parts 46 and 47 supported by the frame. Speed reduction gearing is provided for the drum 18 of substantial]? the same construction as that shown'in ig. 3 for the drum 12. The immediate driving shaft for thedrum 18 however, is a shaft 22 which forms a separate extension ofthe shaft 22 to which latter it may be clutched by means of a sliding clutch 48, the latter controlled by a pivoted clutch lever 49. When it is desired, therefore, rapidly to wind 'on the receding cable or unwind the same from the drum, the latter. may be unclutched from the driving shaft 22 by the,

clutch lever 49 and then manually turned.

Referring to Fig. 6 the operation of the machine in effecting the lateral or main cut will be clear; With the cables arranged as therein shown and as previously described, the ,clutch lever 30 may be turned to impart to the winding drum the slow speed turning-movement, so that the cable 10 is slowly wound on as the cable 11 is paid out at the same rate. This results in maintaining the initially established tension on the cable 11 so that the machine in its travel is held to and against the work. The cutters (which move in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1) act to draw the machine in, while the trailing cable tends to swing the cutter bar about the fulcruming attachment of the cable 10 to the machine, holding the cutter against the coal.

It will, therefore, be seen that the machine is held in the cut by the opposing pull of the two cables exerted one near the wall and the other more remotely therefrom. By adjustably taking up or letting out the receding cable '11, therefore, the angular inclination of the machine may be adjusted. Such adjustment in the illustrated machine may be effected by the manipulation of the take-up jack 19. r

In Fig. 7 thereis shown the cable arrangement for loading the machine upon a truck or upon a starting frame such, for example, as the frame 51 which is customarily employed to guide the machine in making the starting or sumping cut. For this purpose the leading cable 10 passes from the winding drum to the sleeve 13, which is then turned down for such purpose. From the sleeve- 13 it leads to a point 52 at the rear end of the starting frame where its end is secured. \Vith the cable thus arranged,- the clutch lever may be turned to give the rapid winding movement to the drum, this acting to wind in the cable 10 and draw the machine upon the starting frame at a more rapid rate of travel than is employed in the cutting movement.

In Fig. 8 there is shown the cable arrangement already described, which is employed for making the starting out. Under such conditions the leading cable 10 passes about the sheave 13, thence rearwardly to the sheave 14 and thence to a point 53 at the forward corner of the starting frame Where it is fixed. With the clutch lever moved to give the slow speed the winding drum will be turned slowly and the cutter bar and cutters drawn into the coal.

In machines of this class employing cables, and particularly wire ropes or cables. there is a tendency for-the cable strands to fray and wear, especially the cable 10 if it is employed to positively feed the machine and especially if the cables are caused to travel over numerous guiding sheaves or Winding drums of small diameter. 3

In the machine herein disclosed, when making the main cut, the cable leaves the machine without frictional contact with any other devices on the machine than the winding drum itself, and the latter may be of large, diameter, thereby reducing the frictional wear of the cable on the drum and of cable. Furthermore, in making the starting cut, the directing sheaves '13 and 14, which are employed, may be made of as large diameter asis desired, thereby reducing to a. minimum the frictional wear on the cable under such conditions. 1

The drum 12 is preferably located as low as possible so as to cause the cable 10 to leave its underside as near as possible to the ground. The draft on the cable, however, is along a line above the level of the cutters, and in order to neutralize this high draft which is occasioned by its direct departure from the drum, the receding cable 11 is preferably caused to unwind from the top of its winding drum 18, so that the high draft of the one tends to counteract the high draft of the other and keep the machine level.

\Vhile l have herein shown for the purpose of illustration one specific form of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is not limited to the details of construction, to the relative arrangement of the parts disclosed, to the application herein made of the invention, nor to the particular form of mining machine shown, but that extensive deviations may be made inrespect to these features from the showing made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a mining machine, the combination with a rope winding drum at thewall end of the machine to pull the machine forward, a rope winding drum at the opposite end of the machine to retard that end of the machine, an intermediate driving motor, a horizontal motor shaft, operative connections between the motor and said first-named drum for driving the latter, and driving connections between the two drums passing throu h the motor shaft.

2. Iii a mining machine, the combination with a rope winding drum at the wall end of the machine to ull the machine forward, a rope winding rum at the opposite end of the machine to retard that end of the machine, an intermediate driving motor, a horizontal motor shaft, operative connec tions between the motor and one of said drums and driving connections between the two drums passing throughthe motor shaft.

3. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism carried thereby, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the frame laterally, a coaxially disposed rope winding drum on said frame for retarding the rear end of said frame, a coaxially disposed driving motor carried on said frame between said drums, and driving connections between the -rear end of said motor and each of said drums.

4. In a mining machine, the combination with a machine frame and cutter mechanism carried thereby, of a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis at the wall end of the frame for pulling the frame laterally, a coaxially disposed rope winding drum on the opposite end of the frame for retarding that end of the frame, a driving motor carried on said frame between said drums and disposed coaxially therewith, and driving connections between said motor and said drums including reduction mechanism housed in each of said drums. 5. In a mining machine, the combination with a machine frame and cutter mechanism carried thereby, of a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis for pulling the frame laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis for retarding one end of the frame, a horizontally disposed driving motor carried on said frame, and means for selectively driving one or both of said drums from said motor including" driving shafts each operatively connected at one end to a drum and operatively connected to and extending in opposite directions from the rear end of said motor.

6. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter machanism carried thereon, a wind ing drum on said frame for propelling the 2 same laterally, a winding drum on said frame for retarding one end of the same,

said drums being coaxially disposed,a motor on said frame rotatable on an axis extending in the same direction as the axis of said drums, and driving connections carried on said frame between said retarding drum and said motor operable to drive both of said drums from said motor.

7. In a mining machine, a machine frame cutter mechanism carried thereby, a fee operating member rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a feed controlling member on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, driving connections between the rear end of said motor and said first mentioned member, and actuating connections between the rear end of said motor and said last mentioned member.

8. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism carried thereby, a rope winding drum rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, driving connections between the rear end of said motor and said first mentioned drum, and driving connections-between the rear end of said motor and said last mentioned drum.

.9. In a mining machine, a machine frame,

cutter mechanism c'arried thereby, a rope .winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis the rear end of said motor and said first mentioned drum, and driving connections between the rear end of said motor and said last mentioned drum.

10. In a miningmachine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism carried thereby, a feed operating member rotatable on said frame for pulling thesame laterally, a feed controlling member rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, driving connections between the rear end of said motor and said first mentioned member, driving connections between the rear end of said motor and said last mentioned member, and means for disconnecting one of said members from said driving connections at will.

11. In a mining machine, a machine frame,

cutter mechanism carried thereby, a feed operating member rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a feed controlling member rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, driving connections between the rear end of said motor and said first mentioned member, driving connections between the rear .end of said motor and said last mentioned member, and frictional controlling means in the driving connections for one of said members.

12. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism carried thereby, a feed operating member rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a feed controlling member rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, a gear driven by said motor and rotatable in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, driving connections for said first mentioned member driven by said gear, and driving connections for said last mentioned member driven by said gear.

13. In a mining machine, amachine frame, cutter mechanism carried thereby, a feed 1 operating member rotatable on a-horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a feed controlling member rotatable on said-frame, for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on saidframe, a gear driven by said motor and rotatable in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, driving connections for said first mentioned member driven by said gear, and driving connections for said last mentioned member driven by said gear, and mean for disconnecting one of said members for independent rotation.

14. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism carried thereby, a rope Winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on a..horizontal axis on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, a gear driven by said motor and rotatable in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, driving connections for said first mentioned drum driven by said gear, driving connections for said last mentioned drum driven by said gear, and means for disconnecting said retarding drum for independent rotation.

15. In a mining machine, the combination With a machine frame and cutter mechanism carried thereby, of a rope Winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, a gear driven by said motor and rotatable in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, driving connections for said first mentioned drum driven by said gear, driving connections for said last mentioned drum driven by said gear, and frictional controlling means in the driving connections for one of said drums.

16. In a'mining machine, the combination With a machine frame and cutter mechanism carried thereby, of a rope Winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope Winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis 011 said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed motor carried on said frame, a gear driven by said motor and rotatable in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, driving connections for said first mentioned drum driven by said gear, driving connections for said last mentioned drum driven by said gear, and frictional controlling means in the driving connections for each drum.

17. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism extending beneath the same, a feed operating mcmber rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a feed controlling member rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontally disposed driving motor carried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket j ournaled on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, a sprocket rotating member driven by said motor, and driving connections for each of said drums driven by rotation of said member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter.

18. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism extending beneath the same, a rope Winding drum rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope Winding drum rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a

horizontally disposed driving motor carried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket journaled on a vertical axisin rear of said motor, a sprocket rotating member driven by said motor and disposed coaxially with said -sprocket, driving connections for each of said drums driven by rotation of said member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter, and reduction mechanism between said drivin member and each of said drums.

19. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism'extending beneath the same, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of the samej'a' horizontally disposed driving motor carried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket journaled on a vertical axis inrear of said motor, a' sprocket rotating member driven by said motor and disposed coaxially with said sprocket, driving connections for each of saiddrums driven by rotation of said member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter, and a plurality of trains of reduction gearing driven by said driving member and each driving one of said drums.

20. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism extending beneath the same, a rope winding drum rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on said frame for retarding the rear end of thesame, a horizontally disposed driving motor carried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket journaled on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, a sprocket rotating member driven by said motor, driving connections for each of said drums driven by-rotation of said'member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter, and a drum driving shaft journaled on said frame transversely of the axis of said sprocket rotating member and driven by said drivingmember. A

21. In a mining machine, a machine frame, cutter mechanism extending beneath the same, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for pulling the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a horizontallydisposed driving motor carried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket journaled on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, a sprocket rotating member driven by said motor, driving connections for each'of said drums driven by rotation of, said member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter, a drum driving shaft journaled on said the same laterally, a rope winding drum rotatable on a horizontal axis on said frame for retarding the rear end of the same, a

horizontally disposed driving motor car-'' ried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket j ournaled on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, a sprocket rotatingmem ber driven by said motor and disposed coaxially with said sprocket, driving connections for each of said drums driven by rotation of said member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter, a drum driving shaft journaled on said frame transversely of the axis of said sprocket rotating member and driven by said driving member, and frictional controlling means disposed coaxially with said shaft and controlling the rotation of one of said drums.

23. In a mining machine, -a machine frame, cutter mechanism extending beneath the same, a rope 'windlng drum rotatable on said frame for pulling the same laterally,

a rope winding drum rotatable on Saidi frame for retarding the rear end ofthe same, a horizontally disposed driving motor. carried on sald frame, a cutter mechanlsm driving sprocket journaled on a vertical axis 1n rear of said motor, a sprocket irotatlng member drlven by said motor, driving connections for each of said drums driven by] rotation of said member and including a driving member disposed coaxially with the latter, a drum driving shaft 'ournaled on for retarding the rear end of the latter,

a horizontally disposed driving motor carried on said frame, a cutter mechanism driving sprocket journaled on a vertical axis in rear of said motor, a sprocketrotating member driven by said motor and disposed coaxially with said sprocket, driving connections for each of said drums driven by rota- "said frame transversely of the axis of said sprocket rotating member and driven by' said driving member, frictional controlling 11o tion of said member and including a driving In testimony whereof, I have signed my member disposed coaxially With the latter, a name to this specification, in the presence of drum driving shaft journaled on said frame tWo subscribing Witnesses.

.transversely relativeto the axis of said sprocket rotating member and driven by ALBERT BALL. said driving member, one of said drums being rotatable about the axis of said shaft, Witnesses:

and reduction mechanism between said shaft I MORRIS P. HOLMES,

and the other drum for driving the latter. PRATT GILMAN. 

